PAT CAPUTO: Good isn't enough when great is expected of Justin Verlander

By PAT CAPUTO

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Justin Verlander has, in the words of Tigers' manager Jim Leyland, been "good" this season, which has become the definition, actually, of not good enough for him or the Tigers or their fans.

Why?

Because Verlander was 24-5 in 2011 - one of the best single-season performances since the mound was lowered in 1969 and the DH added to the American League in 1973.

And Verlander followed it with a similarly spectacular season in 2012, which included a couple breathtaking performances in the postseason, at least until he ran into Kung Fu Panda in the World Series.

Then he signed a zillion dollar (actually $180 million) contract extension this spring.

Good is a 12-9 record with a 3.68 ERA, which is slightly better than the major league average of 3.88. Those are Verlander's numbers this season after he was rocked for six earned runs and 10 hits in seven innings of a 7-6 loss to the lowly Minnesota Twins Thursday.

"Good," Leyland said of Verlander's overall performance in 2013, "but not what we've come to expect. But it's not like he is having a brutal season."

Good may get Verlander third in the pecking order when the Tigers' rotation is set for the postseason.

Max Scherzer is the 18-1 man. Anaibal Sanchez has the second-lowest ERA in the American League. They have been "great."

Doug Fister has a lower ERA than Verlander and has walked half the hitters (although one of the great oddities of this season is Fister has hit 15 batters, 11 more than the second most on the Tigers' staff, Verlander with 4).

Verlander used the word frustrating quite a bit Thursday. "It's been quite the grind, but when you add up all the numbers, it could be worse," he said.

True.

Last year's AL Cy Young Award winner, Tampa Bay's David Price, is 7-5 with a 3.29 ERA. He has made only 19 starts this season. The NL Cy Young Award winner from '12, R.A. Dickey, got big money to move from the Mets to the Blue Jays. He is 9-12 with a 4.49 ERA. Jered Weaver, who was second to Verlander in Cy Young balloting in '11, is 7-7 with a 3.62. Like Price, he missed much of this season with an injury.

Verlander was the AL MVP in 2011. The NL MVP in 2011 was the Brewers' Ryan Braun, who has been suspended by Major League Baseball for the remainder of the season for violating its performance enhancing drugs policy.

Track records with veteran players in their prime are often difficult to gauge. Verlander's career ERA entering the 2011 season was 3.71. It's still 3.45. It was 2.40 in '11 and 2.64 in '12. Maybe those two seasons were an aberration, and so is this year, in a sense, except in the opposite direction. It is probably part of baseball's natural correcting process.

Verlander's career average season entering Thursday was 18-10 with a 3.41 ERA. That would still make Verlander one of the best starting pitchers of his generation.

It could also mean a downward trend for Sanchez and Scherzer, at some point this season or in the not-too-distant future. Both have far outperformed their track records this season.

The hitting version of Verlander is Prince Fielder, who is having his worst season since he was a young player. He is 29. He isn't just going to lose his ability to hit a baseball overnight without some sort of injury or physical ailment explanation. However, a consistent track record for players has ups and downs despite a steady overall line. Fielder's numbers are better than average major league hitters across the board this season. Like Verlander has still eaten up innings, Fielder still plays every day. He has been a "good" player this season. The rub comes in that Fielder was given a $214 million contract to be better than that.

The delicate part for Leyland is still more than a month away. How does he set up the Tigers' starting rotation for the playoffs?

Scherzer and Sanchez have been brilliant this season, but they can only hope to have the type of career Verlander has put together. Yet, there is no denying Scherzer and Sanchez have pitched better this season to this late point and currently would give the Tigers a better chance to win.

Verlander's outing Thursday wasn't exactly promising.

It isn't about loyalty at that point - just winning.

That would make Verlander No.3. It's not that bad, but not that great, either.